The Fire Within
by Awesome Tiger
Summary: " There is a fire within all of us. Whether you choose to use it for good or bad is another thing. Whether it's your master or your slave is completely up to you, you can let it control you or you can control you. With that fire you are unstoppable and you have the choice to awaken it or die without realizing your full potential." Master Splinter
1. Chapter 1

**Story Title: The Fire Within – Finding your true potential**

**TMNT Disclaimer: I do not own the turtles though I wish I did.**

**Summary: There is a fire within all of us. Whether you choose to use it for good or bad is another thing. Whether it's your master or your slave is completely up to you, you can let it control you or you can control you. With that fire you are unstoppable and you have the choice to awaken it or die without realizing your full potential.**

**A/N: This story was beta'd by Touch of Romance and takes some inspiration from 'Webs' by SaphirasMagic.**

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Have you ever felt the empowering feeling of walking down the streets of New York City and making it home safely? I have. You never truly felt that amazing, empowering feeling of walking down the streets of New York City alone.

Strangely, that was exactly what I was doing. The streets were dark and a pungent odor filled my nostrils. This is not what I expected of New York City at all. I was staying in an apartment separate from my parents in order to continue my schooling without their or anyone else's interfering. It gave me a feeling of independence that I could hardly describe.

I was trying to get to said apartment after a tiring day of high school. My best friend, April O'Neil, had just left to go hang out with some friends. I didn't understand why she couldn't take me with her. Completely lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice when a few Japanese men surrounded me. One of them gave a low whistle.

"What's a pretty girl like you doing out so late?" One of them, who seemed to be the leader, asked smugly.

"Trying to get home," I answered; slightly frightened though I tried to conceal it with a steady voice. Slowly but surely, the men started to close in on me. Then out of the blue, a voice pierced through the darkness.

"Get away from her!"

I looked to see who my rescuer was but instead found four… _turtles_.

The one in blue spoke suddenly, "Let's get 'em guys!" His voice was clear and deep. He was obviously the leader, judging from the way the other three waited for his word. As soon as the command issued from his lips, the three sprang into action. Their grace and agility was mesmerizing and I could not take my eyes off of them.

"Booyakasha!" One screamed; he wore an orange mask. And it seemed he was taking the battle the lightest of the four, all smiles and making fun of his opponent to the annoyance of the others. He also seemed to be the most graceful and agile. "Mikey, focus!" the leader shouted.

"What, bro?" Mikey replied.

"Focus on the fight."

It was clear they all had different fighting styles – unique for each. They all fought with a passion and unprecedented fury. Except for the one with the red mask: his fury practically radiated off his skin. I had noticed before that he was the most impatient in waiting for a fight. His eyes glinted in the moonlight.

The one with the purple mask was obviously the smartest. He was handling the bo stick like a master. In my shock and awe I must have zoned out and suddenly, the Japanese men vanished.

"Are you okay, miss?" The one I had identified as the leader asked.

"Y-Y-Yeah," I answered shakily. They looked like they were expecting something different. A scream from the way they cringed.

"Ya sure? Ya seem kind of shell-shocked?" The one in red asked.

What did he mean by that? I looked down and realized I was shaking. Black spots appeared in front of my eyes – which was weird because none of them had touched me. Then the black spots completely obstructed my vision and I fainted.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Should we wake her up?" A guy with a Californian accent asked.

"No, Mikey, she needs her rest. She took a pretty hard hit to the back," someone with a deep voice answered.

I opened my eyes to see four turtles hovering over me, though they all stepped back when they realized I was awake. Except for one who was lounging in the back with a pet… turtle.

"You have a turtle for a pet?" I asked absent-mindedly to one in question.

"Yeah," he answered with a Brooklyn accent. "So what?"

"Nothing," I replied.

"How are you feeling, miss?" The one in blue asked. He didn't seem so commanding now that they were out of danger.

"Fine… My back is kind of sore but otherwise I'm good," I replied, the pain finally catching up to me.

"My name is Leonardo," he stated.

"Charlotte." I wondered why I wasn't screaming. This whole thing was weird; me being in what seemed to be a sewer, surrounded by giant turtles.

"I'm Raphael," the red-masked turtle said. I hadn't noticed before how muscular he was and how vibrant his eyes were. Okay, I couldn't take my eyes off him.

"I'm Michelangelo!" Mikey screamed. It made me smile to see him so happy.

"My name is Donatello," The purple-masked one said.

"So are there more giant animals?" I asked tentatively.

"Um… well," Leonardo trailed off as a giant rat stepped out of nowhere.

"I am Master Splinter," he said, his voice deep and full of authority. It was clear the turtles looked up to him. I wanted to look up to him too; he seemed like a good role model.

"I hope my sons have been very hospitable towards you?" He continued.

"Yes they have. I'm Charlotte." Okay, now I was weirded out. What does a giant rat mate with to make a giant turtle? This was getting freakier by the second. I should have never chosen to leave my parents, I should have taken their advice: _don't walk down the streets of New York alone_.

"Hey guys!" A bright cheery voice resonated through the darkness. All turned to see my best friend, April O'Neil, walk through the entrance. "April," I said in utter disbelief.

"Charlotte…" she muttered.

"Oh good, you two know each other, that'll save some introductions," Mikey said cheerfully, earning a glare from everyone.

"What happened to you?" She asked.

"Am I really that messed up?" I tried to joke but it did not come out properly.

"Uh huh. You're deathly pale."

"What are you doing here, Ape?"

"Um, Charlie…"

"Maybe we all should all sit down and I will explain our complicated situation," Master Splinter suggested. We all did as he said.

"Donatello, would you make some jasmine tea for miss Charlotte?" Donatello immediately jumped up to make me the tea while we all continued to stare at each other in awkward silence.


	3. Chapter 3

I hated jasmine tea. My mother used to make it for me when I was younger. It was always just a tad too bitter for my taste, though it was supposed to be very calming and I loved how it smelled. My mom always used to put sugar and condensed milk in it for me. I wondered if Donatello would do that. Probably not, Master Splinter did not seem interested in sweeteners – but if there was anything I learnt from my few weeks in New York, it was not to judge a book by its cover.

Sooner than expected, Donatello came from what I assumed to be the kitchen with a mug of steaming tea.

"Please drink this, it will help your back," Master Splinter stated more like commanded. Donatello passed me the mugs and our fingers brushed as his hands were larger than mine. I took a sip and recoiled; it was more bitter than I remembered, but it smelled like heaven this time. I could just sit down and smell jasmine all day.

I looked up and realized everyone was staring at me, so I blushed. They all looked away when they saw I was looking.

"I was not sure if you wanted tea as well, Sensei… So I made it in case," Donatello said; his voice was slightly nasal.

"Thank you, Donatello," Master Splinter said graciously. "My sons and I were not always like this."

_Like what? Oh, giant animals._ I wondered how they were before.

"We are mutants," Master Splinter continued. "The story of how we became mutants is for another day. For now we have more serious matters to discuss."

_More serious than the tale of how one innocent man and four innocent turtles got mutated?_ I liked to disagree but of course I had no place to do or say anything rather than sip my tea quietly and not make too much of a face at the bitterness.

"Leonardo," he spoke suddenly ending the brief silence.

"Yes, Sensei?" Leonardo asked.

"Tell me again how you found Miss Charlotte?"

"Well, we were just out on patrol when we saw the Purple Dragons cornering Charlotte," he started. I shivered although the lair and the tea were hot. The battle had terrified enough for me, even though I'd just stood there and let myself get hurt. "So we ambushed them and drove them away, only to find Charlotte had been shot in the back with an arrow." He said the last part quite sadly, which was weird. "It's a good thing there was no poison in it…" _A good thing indeed. _His dark blue eyes were clouded with a mixture of sadness and self-disappointment. He surely was not blaming himself for my injury? That would be insane; it was my fault for not watching my surroundings. "Then she blacked out," he finished.

"Wow, Charlotte, you went through all that?" April asked in disbelief. I had always been one of the frailer people in our class. I nodded silently, still sipping my tea. It did not seem like I was finishing it anytime soon.

"She did not even notice she got hit!" Raphael exclaimed. It was going to take a while to get used to his gruff manner and the way he spoke. But he never ceased to amaze, regardless of how bulky and muscular he was. He was still the most agile person… well, _turtle_ I had ever met. Actually Michelangelo, or Mikey as his brothers seemed to call him, was, though Raphael still came a close second.

"Are you okay?" April asked, concern visible in her eyes. She kept reaching up to play with her fiery red locks.

"Yeah, this jasmine tea really works," I replied. It was clear she did not believe me. "What? Sure my back is pretty sore, but otherwise I'm fine. What's all the fuss about?" I did not understand – I was fine.

"The arrow got pretty far in," Donatello mumbled.

"Well it's out! I mean… It _is_ out right?" I started and Donatello nodded at me. "Then what's the point? I feel better." Everyone shrugged, clearly surprised at my outburst. Master Splinter changed the subject hastily.

"I was just wondering if my old enemy the Shredder was behind this. You said the Purple Dragons work with him now, if my memory serves me right?" The brothers nodded in agreement. Nobody wanted to speak out.

"Miss Charlotte, would you like to train as a kunoichi with miss April?" he then proposed. I nodded – it seemed cool. _A kunoichi was a ninja, right?_ I hoped so; if not I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Everybody wanted to be a ninja and now I was finally getting the chance.

I must have smiled like an idiot as I earned some strange looks. We all sat in comfortable silence until I realized I had no more tea left. I can only drink jasmine tea if I am thoroughly distracted which did not happen often. I had a slight case of ADHD, so I was always doing something with my hands. It was pretty strange; I always got good grades mainly because I chose when I wanted to zone out.

"It is decided. You'll start when Donatello deems you are ready for training. As for your sleeping area , I would offer you the room of one of my sons but they all snore quite loudly… You are welcome to the couch," Master Splinter said with an air of finality and walked out of the room. Everyone crowded around me.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Charlotte? You don't have to if you don't want to," Leonardo asked.

"No, I'm sure. It seems cool, Leonardo," I stated.

"Leo," he corrected.

"Leo," I repeated with a small smile. His blue eyes seemed to lose all the worry and sadness by hearing me say that. _Leo._

"April," I started turning my attention to her, "why didn't you tell me you were a ninja?"

"Geez Charlotte, that is not something you just tell a person," she said. It's true – I would have said the same if I was in her place. I scanned each of their faces trying to find something. What exactly? I had no clue.

"Raphael - " I started but got cut off. "Raph," I rolled my eyes playfully and started over. "Raph, what's your turtle's name?" He gave me a puzzled look and started roaring with laughter.

"Random much?" He spluttered out between chuckles while the rest of us looked at him weirdly. Raphael – Raph – did not seem like the kind to start laughing at something so trivial; though Mikey was chuckling too. That was alright, I had come to expect that from Mikey.

"It's Spike," he said finally.

"Who's Spike?" I asked.

"My turtle," he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh." Now I felt stupid. _Curse you ADHD_. April giggled and nudged me slightly – our gesture for when I was making a complete fool of myself. I blushed in embarrassment and reached up to play with my chocolate brown curls. I was not really making a fool of myself. Was I? I was just asking an innocent question.

"Charlotte, you should get some rest if you want to train soon." Donatello, or Donnie as his brothers seemed to call him, spoke up, his mahogany eyes filled with concern. Was he always this shy? The boys I was used to were more like Mikey; him being shy and afraid to touch me was new and quite frankly pleasant. _These guys here were real gentlemen… Or gentleturtles?_ I was too tired to confuse myself.

"Oh, alright," I said, too tired to fight.

"C'mon guys," Mikey hollered, and everyone except for April left.

"I'm sorry you had to find out this way, Charlotte, but Donnie's right. You do need your sleep. I'll explain everything soon." She said with tears glistening in her eyes.

"Promise?" I asked.

"Promise."

She reached over, squeezed my hand, and left me to fall asleep on my own. I closed my eyes and felt someone pulling a blanket over me and patting my cheek just like my father used to do. Before I knew it, I was sleeping like a baby.


End file.
